Daddy For Sale!
by tokiya-kun18
Summary: A small request from a child can change the world for both Kahoko and Len. "Mummy, I want him as a temporary daddy!" One sentence that brought Hell upon Kahoko. Can this situation turn from bad to worse, from temporary to permanent? Len/Kahoko
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:: I don't own anything except this story of mine. La Corda D'Oro, as we all know, rightfully belongs to Yuki Kure and to Koei.**

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**Title:_"Daddy For Sale!"_**

**Author:** _tokiya-kun18_

**Beta-Reader:** _Pathetic Rainbow_ (Thank you so much for all the corrections! I appreciate it tons! :-D)

**Fan-base:** _La Corda D'Oro_

**Pairing:** _Len Tsukimori/Kahoko Hino_

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Silently pacing the room, Kahoko stared at the music sheet at hand. Beads of sweat forming on her forehead as she tried to memorize every single note laid down. She sighed, rubbing her temples gently while sitting on the chair. She stared at the sheet dully before putting it down on the table—a sign of temporary resignation. She started tapping the table, boredom plastered on her face. There must be something in here that I can do other than concentrating on music, she thought, exploring her current location with her bright honey-colored eyes.

As if on cue, her phone started ringing. The vibration in the pocket of her trousers surprised her, making her jump half-way out of her chair. Kahoko immediately dug into her pocket, eyeing on the caller's name before answering it. She smiled as she heard a very familiar voice on the other line.

"Good afternoon, Kahoko-san," the caller greeted with her velvety voice. "I hope I didn't disturb you in the middle of your work..."

"No, not at all!" Kahoko exclaimed, earning a soft chuckle on the other side; her smooth cheeks tinged with light pink as she blushed with embarrassment. "But it's definitely a surprise for you to call me—are you not busy?"

"Not today," she replied. "Oh! Right. Before I forget, can you come over to my house today? I want to give you a small present."

"Ehh? Fo-For what, may I ask? Please, you shouldn't have bothered." _It's not even my birthday…or is it?_, she mentally added.

"This is nothing, really. Nothing at all. It's just a sign of thanks. Please, Kahoko-san…"

Kahoko sighed. "All right. I'll go."

"Great!" The woman beamed. "Meet me at my house… And, you can also eat supper here, if you don't mind. I'll see you later. Take care!"

"Wa-Wait!" Kahoko wanted to ask her about some matter but decided to put it aside; she could ask it later. "Wonderful…but I guess this is all right," she sighed, glancing at the wall clock and noting the time. 4 PM, it read. "Shoot! I have to hurry!" She quickly put her phone back in the pocket of her trousers as she made her way out of the house. "Mou! Ren isn't going to be happy when he realizes I'm late…"

**.**

**.**

**.**

Advancing quickly yet smoothly, Len climbed down the stairs with complete elegance. His ocean-blue locks still wet as he had just finished taking a bath. He eyed his mother plainly, greeting her politely as he always does: "Good afternoon, Mother," he said.

Misa Hamai spun around, greeting him, too, in return. She adoringly smiled at her son, causing him to slightly raise an eyebrow. "Is there anything I can do for you?" Len asked.

"Yes, of course! You can help me put these flowers in a vase." Misa pointed at the bouquet at hand. "And clear up the living room, too." Music sheets were somehow scattered around the place; Len sweat-dropped.

"But don't we have a maid?" he monotonously questioned.

"We do, but I sent them all home yesterday. Maids are still humans, after all; they need a day of rest, too."

"So—" Len began. "So, you help me clean this place up!" Misa finished the sentence for him; he silently groaned. "Is there a particular event I'm missing today?"

"Not exactly. But a guest _is_ going to come over and have supper with us," Misa said, giggling. "Now, let's get to work!" she said, pushing her son out of the room.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"I hate you." A ruby-haired child glared at another, his lips pulled down in a frown and his arms crossed against his chest; for short, he was _irritated_.

"So do I," the other harrumphed, mockingly smiling at the ruby-haired boy. "You don't have to _like_ me. Eew; gross!" He snorted, the ruby-haired child's glare worsening as he did. He readied himself to attack.

"Why are you bothering me?" Ren says through his gritted teeth. "Go bother someone else; I don't need your company." He turned his back on him, his body shaking in anger.

"Because you're funny!" the blond child, Shinn, laughed. "You're the only one who doesn't have a _daddy_. Poor you! Your father must hate you and your mother! Ha!"

Shinn's small statement pulled the silent trigger over Ren's control. Ren launched himself at Shinn, hands balled up in fists as he raised it, ready to punch the latter. He was on top of him, with the poor boy struggling effortlessly beneath him. Ren forced his arm forward, his fist almost hitting Shinn's face when their tutor came in, pulling Ren away from the child.

"Let go of me! Let go!" Ren screamed defiantly, violently thrusting punches in the air. The tutor tried to calm him down, throwing brief glances at another tutor who was trying to soothe Shinn's crying figure.

"No. Ren-kun, calm yourself," the tutor ordered, rubbing the back of his student in a failing attempt to cool him down. "Ah, Hino-san! Your mother is here; you don't want to upset her now, do you?" He looked at his student again who had sullenly lowered his head. The teacher sighed and got up, going to the door to greet his student's mother.

"Good afternoon, Kahoko-san! Please seat down and wait. Ren-kun will be out in a minute," he greeted cheerfully, hiding the worry he felt from Ren. He was torn between settling the child and greeting Kahoko. _Boy, was this hard!,_ he thought.

"I don't want to make Mummy sad…" Ren decided; his tutor showed a face of relief.

"Hmm." Keisuke, his tutor, nodded in understanding. "I know. Now, what you did back there was bad. Apologize to Shinn-kun, okay?" He softly patted Ren's head, caressing his face along the way.

Ren groaned in protest. "But it's _his_ fault; he started it!"

"Yet you're the one who almost injured him. Say sorry."

"Fine." Ren walked up to Shinn's crying figure, his face painted with guilt. He rubs one side of his cheek as he opened his mouth to speak. "I'm sorry, Tsuchiura. I shouldn't have done that." Shinn hid behind the tutor's back, his body still shaking and his tears spilling on his face.

"Go away!" Shinn shouted yet Ren followed.

"Hm… This is going to take a lot of effort than I thought," Keisuke muttered to himself. He motioned Ren to approach him. "Let's go meet your mother, okay?" Ren nodded, exiting the room after his tutor.

**.**

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**.**

"Le-Len…" Misa sweat-dropped, watching her son look for the fire extinguisher. "What happened here?"

"Nothing you should worry about, Mother." He held the fire extinguisher up, aiming for the burning wok. "Simply nothing at all."

But of course, we all know that an accident in the kitchen with Len Tsukimori isn't just _nothing at all_. The vegetable stir-fry Misa was cooking a moment ago had gone to flames. Len was just passing by when she ordered him to tend the food. He could only stare at the blackening contents as he found himself dumbfounded in cooking. Len had somehow spotted the cook book located near the sink and read it; it said to apply a small amount of wine but he made a mistake with the quantity…which brings them to their current situation.

"Do you need some help?" She offered, taking a broom and a dustpan. She needed no answer anyway as she swept the floor by herself.

"Thank you." Len put on the oven gloves, transferring the burnt wok to the sink and letting the water run over the burnt pan.

_Who knew household chores were this hard?_, they both thought.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Moments of silence—_uncomfortable_ silence—passed by. Kahoko had gotten used to her son's quiet nature, but it felt different now . Something _horrible_ had occurred while Ren was in school—she can feel it. Ren's dark aura wasn't directed at her, so it must be that.

She glanced at her son; he was frowning…which is bad. She had to break the silence to at least know what was wrong.

"Ren, um—you know…"

"Hey, Mummy," Ren cut her mid sentence, his face, serious. "What is Daddy like?"

Kahoko froze; this was the first time he had ask her about his father. She pursed her lips, unsure of how to respond to her son's perturbing question. She sighed, making up her mind to tell him…a tiny bit. "Your daddy is kind, overprotective, sometimes rude and different… in a good way."

"If Daddy is good then why isn't he here? Where is he?" Ren looked up at her mother, eyes staring directly at her own. He really wants to know this; Kahoko sighed. _He needs to_.

"Your daddy… is working overseas. That's why he can't be here." Lies—all she could tell him were lies.

"I see…" he nodded understandingly, surprising for a young boy like him. He then smiled at her widely. Childish, cute yet approving and honest—it made Kahoko's heart sink deeper than an abyss. It hurt so much for her. "Umm… I have one more question: where are we going?"

"Well, we've just arrived," she smiled at him, trying to hide all pain. Kahoko went up to the door and knocked a couple of times before Misa opened it and gave her a warm hug.

"You came!" she grinned enthusiastically at her. She released Kahoko from the hug and patted the girl's shoulder. "My, how many months have passed since I last saw you?"

"Five or six, I think," cheerfully, Kahoko said.

Ren tugged on his mother's shirt, getting the attention. Kahoko and Misa averted their gaze to him at the same time. "Good afternoon," he greeted softly, hiding behind his mother—Ren can be real shy when it comes to meeting people, the opposite of his earlier self.

Misa then kneels down to match Ren's height. She finds him fascinating and at the same time, intriguingly cute. "Hello there, little boy. What's your name?"

Ren searched for a sign of approval from his mother. "Ren Hino. Pleased to meet you, Miss…?" He courteously responded, asking the name of the stranger talking to his mother so closely, after his mother nodded.

"Misa Hamai. Pleased to meet you, too, Ren-kun," she kept on smiling sincerely, causing Ren to smile back at her. _She's nice_, he mentally noted.

"I didn't know you have a younger brother," Misa stated almost confused, standing up and leading them into the living room.

The room was brightly lit; the walls were covered with tons of paintings; a grand piano was located near the center; trophies, ribbons, awards filled one huge shelf while compilations of music sheets which appeared like books were stacked neatly in another; the shiny tiled floors sparkled majestically—the whole room was clean; the room was—one way or another—_godly_. And Kahoko could only look at it with amazement, like a jealous sister of Cain.

"A-actually, Misa-san," she started, fumbling. "Ren isn't my brother…" Kahoko blushed, forcing the words out of her mouth. "H-He's my son."

"Your… **son**?" Bewildered, Misa exclaimed. Surprised, shocked, devastated? No; Kahoko tried to dig up for the right word that describe what Misa might have been feeling now because of her sudden revelation.

"Ah, I'm sorry; I was just really taken aback, hearing that he's your son," Misa apologized, regaining her previous outlook. "But really now? You're a mother at such a young age," she rubbed Kahoko's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze afterwards. "It must be hard on you..."

"No, it's not. Not much, at least. Besides, I love taking care of Ren." Kahoko playfully caressed Ren's hair, earning a pout from the said child. Kahoko stared at Misa. "Um, so, what was it that you wanted to give me?"

"Oh, _that_. Maybe later, Kahoko-san. It might spoil the secret," Misa said, winking at her, mysteriously. Tensed: the befitting word for Kahoko's current body situation.

"Why don't you two take a good look around? I'll come back in a moment." Misa made her way up the stairs, leaving both Mother and Child alone…_almost_.

"Mother, it's finished. If you want to check it, I left it at the coun-" an ocean-haired lad trailed off, appearing from the kitchen. '…-_ter_."

Silence—_awkward_ silence—with confusion and tension filled the enclosed area.

"You must be the guest Mother had talked about," Len started off awkwardly, nodding his head in comprehension of the event that had happened. "Welcome." He stated nonchalantly, like the ice cube he's known to be as. Kahoko sweat-dropped, a lot. He had eyes like a dagger, sharp and dangerous—and nowhere near welcoming, at all. But there was a hint of politeness in them. His pale face was smooth, beautiful and snow-white; his hair, a calming shade of blue that would remind you of the cool skies you would often be staring into at the beach; his lips were set in a straight line, showing how much he cared about the situation right now—not much.

Ren became intrigued with the _stranger_'s personality, his eyes twinkling with delight and mischievousness. He smiled secretively. _Time for an experiment_, he thought.

Ren tugged on his mother's shirt again, making her unable to move. She glanced shortly down and returned her gaze to the tall guy in front of her. "Tha-Thanks, Tsukimori-kun…right?"

Len nodded, crossing his arms on his chest and looking away from them, staying silent. _The same way Ren usually acts_, Kahoko and her son realized. _Oh fun_, Ren's smile widened with the thought.

"Please seat on the couch while waiting; I'll go fetch my mother," Len sighed, walking away with his big strides instantaneously.

"He's good; I like him," Ren purposely muttered out loud, making sure his mother heard it. He looked up to meet Kahoko's golden eyes once more, the same almost-secretive smile that he had a while ago was forming on his lips again. "Mummy, I want him as a temporary Daddy!"

…hell was on the loose for Kahoko.

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**Miserable weather. Snow covering the place. So damn cold. I'm freezing!  
I can't think straight for my in-progress FanFics' updates.  
Published another one. Bored. Sleepy. Tired. Gonna shut down any minute now. Probably. _  
*sigh_ Oh well, at least this FanFic is out of my system. Bothering the Hell out of my head. Can't sleep with it disturbing my peace. lawlz.  
Uh… Please review and tell me what you think! :-D**

**Edit:** **Many, many, many thanks to _Pathetic Rainbow_ for beta-reading! I love _all_ the changes you've made in this FanFic! ^ ^ You did an awesome job!**


	2. Chapter 2

**finally! i'm able to update this story. :-D i'm truly sorry for the wait, everyone. but now, here it is! i hope this would make everything up for my tardiness, lawlz.**

**many thanks to my awesome beta-reader, _Pathetic Rainbow_, for all the corrections she'd done. ;-)

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**"I'm so sorry for making you wait, Tsuchiura-san." Ryotaro's head perked up at the sound of his name. He was sitting on one of the chairs in the Principal's Office, waiting for his son, Shinn. His arms were lying on his lap with his head bowed down—until he was called, at least. He was very confused as to why he had to go there and talk with both the Principal and the tutor when all he was there for was to pick his son up.

_Something happened,_ Ryotaro concluded with a sigh.

He nodded his head at the direction of another teacher who was holding Shinn's hand in hers. She bent down to match Shinn's height and told the blond-haired child that it was okay for him to go. Shinn replied with a small 'thank you' and let go of the teacher's hand, approaching his sitting father.

"Then I shall be taking my leave, Kouchou-san." The woman bowed politely. "Please excuse me," she said and left, leaving Keisuke, Ryotaro, Shinn and the Principal alone in the room to converse.

When the door closed with a click, the school Principal smiled at Ryotaro and began, "I believe we should be discussing about your child's behavior. But, you know, you shouldn't be too tensed, Ryotaro."

The aforementioned male gave the Principal a small smile and said, "I couldn't help it. This is a first... with Shinn involved, I mean." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to calm himself. "But, it's good to see you again, Sakimoto."

Mizue prompted her arms on the desk and rested her chin on her hands. She closed her eyes in concentration and said, "Yes, it's good to see you, too."

**.**

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**.**

"W-W-W-WHHHHHHHHAAAAATTTTTTT!" Kahoko exclaimed in horror, disbelief, looking at the innocently smiling Ren as if he were insane. Her eyes were as big as saucers, her mouth hung wide open like a waterfall, and her whole body was as pale white as snow. Her hand which held the ruby-haired child's was now gripping it rather tightly.

Ren twitched from the pain, but tried his best not to show it. "M—Mummy, it hurts!" He bit his lower lip hard, suppressing a yelp from escaping his mouth. He frowned and looked like he was in verge of tears; his eyes began to water.

_You shouldn't cry,_ Ren reminded himself, chanting those three words again and again in his head. _I should try to calm Mummy down._

"Mummy!" he shouted, tugging at Kahoko's long-sleeved shirt. "Please stop! It really hurts!"

Realizing what she'd done, Kahoko immediately ceased her iron grip on the poor child's hand. "I'm so sorry, Ren. I'm truly sorry..." Kneeling down to match the ruby-haired child's height, Kahoko caressed his face and hand gently while rubbing her hand on his head affectionately. She enveloped him in her arms, burying her face in Ren's smooth hair, and apologized once more.

Ren returned the hug, "I'm fine, Mummy. It's okay." He pulled away, arms encircling his mother's neck. Ren smiled brightly and kissed Kahoko's cheek as a sign of acceptance with her apology.

The redhead smiled back and carried little Ren in her arms as she stood up. Both mother and son hesitantly looked over to where Len Tsukimori stood.

And there and then, they saw his expression.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"I'll see you around, then." Ryotaro gathered Shinn in his arms as he opened the door to leave. He glanced back at the twins, Mizue and Keisuke, and gave them an appreciative nod before he stepped out. With one last goodbye, the door shut quietly behind him.

Ryotaro walked out of the school campus in silence, with Shinn looking worriedly at him in his arms. Neither of them spoke up until they were half-way to their house.

The green-haired male sighed for the umpteenth time of the day. "I can't believe you would do such a thing, Shinn. What would your mother tell you when she hears this?"

"I'm sorry, Papa." The child looked away, not wanting to meet his father's eyes. "But I was only saying the truth."

"The truth? You mean provoking your classmate until he snaps? Do you think that's right!" Ryotaro was beginning to lose his temper. He growled lowly, his arms unconsciously tightening around the blond-haired child's body. "You shouldn't do that! Shinn, I know you know better than that!"

"Papa!" Shinn cringes at the sudden pain he's feeling around his waist. "You're... crushing me! Ouch!" The feel of his father's arms slowly tightening around him made him felt that he would break into two pieces. _Like bending a pencil and making it snap,_ Shinn made a comparison.

"Hn..." Ryotaro loosened his hold, and looked anywhere but Shinn's eyes. He breathed in and out in order to calm himself down. Losing his temper here wouldn't do any good, he reminded himself. He looked at the child in his arms and apologized, "Shinn... I..."

"I understand, Papa. It's my fault—I won't do it again. That, I can promise you." The blond-haired child patted the male's cheek softly, staring sincerely into Ryotaro's golden orbs.

The green-haired male's eyes softened, holding Shinn close to him and said, "Thank you... and sorry."

**.**

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**.**

It was truly awkward to be in the same room with _the_ Len Tsukimori, Kahoko thought.

Both she and Ren could only stare back at him blankly, matching his expressionless face. They couldn't decipher what was going on inside his head at the moment. But _who_ could, anyway?

There were only a few things that could trouble Len Tsukimori's mind. Very few, as a matter of fact. First was when he couldn't create the right melody in playing the violin. Second was his mother's unexpected behavior—he always knew something was up whenever Misa's giddy. Third was this current situation: A child asking his mother if _he _could be his _temporary daddy_. Now wasn't that just exciting?

A million thoughts were running inside his head, but the latter part was the main topic, the one that was bringing his thoughts continuously into. Len had never—_never_—been asked to be a... _daddy_ of a stranger's child before. It could be because of his cold demeanor or just that the very thought of having him as their father didn't suit him, at the very least.

Len exhaled deeply, rubbing his closed eyelids with his index finger and thumb. When he opened his eyes, there Ren saw how troubled he really was with his _simple_ request or demand despite his neutral façade. The child was pretty observant, unlike his mother who chose not to pay any sort of close attention to others.

The ruby-haired boy watched Len with the same level of interest he had earlier. _That guy,_ he thought, _is really... amazing._ Ren smiled mischievously at his direction, but shook it off the moment Kahoko turned her head to look at him.

His mother was puzzled; nevertheless, she shrugged all of it off. But she couldn't help wondering what made Ren start acting this way. He was usually quiet, reserved and polite. He didn't—not even once—make an outburst like that. Kahoko thought back to their earlier conversation: Ren was asking her all about his father. Did that mean...?

Kahoko stole another glance at her son. And there she saw the same playful smile plastered on his face as he stared at Len in utter... fascination?

She gasped silently and averted her gaze. Her mind started rewinding Ren's words as if she couldn't control it: _"Mummy, I want him as a temporary daddy!"_

She had to make a decision. But everything would depend on Len Tsukimori, also.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Hey, isn't that Shinn over there?" a dark brown-haired girl questioned, nudging her companion lightly on the elbow. She had a pair of bright golden eyes and smooth, white skin. The little girl wore a primary student's uniform, which consisted of a white top, a baby blue skirt and a pair of black shoes. She also had a tie around her collar and a small blue and white sailor girl hat on her head.

"Ouch! Hey!" complained another brunette, rubbing his arm. The girl might have thought that her nudge was only light, but in reality it was unbelievably _strong._

He had the same uniform as the brunette, minus the skirt and plus a pair of trousers. The boy followed her gaze and yes, he had also spotted the same blond-haired child whom they were friends with.

The boy cocked his head on the side and stared confusedly at the girl sitting beside him. "Yup, that's Shinn all right. What about him?"

The brunette met his eyes, cupped the child's face with both of her hands and turned it back to Shinn's direction. "Just watch, will you, Tsubasa?" she commanded, and glanced over his shoulder where she saw a teal-haired child sleeping peacefully on the ground. "And please wake Senri up. We'll be the ones to get in trouble if he gets sick."

"Yes, ma'am," Tsubasa sarcastically said, earning another _light_ nudge from the girl. "I—I mean Tsukiko! Will you cut that out? My body hurts from your inhuman strength!"

"Only if you do what I say," Tsukiko harrumphed, poking Tsubasa at the sides. "Do it." Her voice was full of authority that Tsubasa didn't have any choice but obey like a little servant.

"I hate you," Tsubasa put emphasis to every word, but did what she told him to do in the end.

"So do I," replied the brunette, staring at the scene unfolded before her. Shinn and Ryotaro were hugging, saying things Tsukiko couldn't hear clearly from the distance.

Tsubasa shook Senri almost violently, receiving protests from the teal-haired child. "Wake up, Senri! Please! Or else the monster's gonna hit me_ again_!" Tsukiko growled at him the moment he said those.

_Eep, too late,_ Tsubasa thought, panicking.

Senri groggily woke up, frowning and casting a semi-glare at the brunette. Tsubasa froze, knowing all too well that his situation was two against one.

_Great! Just great!,_ he groaned inwardly. _I have two enemies now! Two versus one is_ not _fair!_

The teal-haired child sat up, rubbing his sleepy eyes and blinking several times. He stared at Tsubasa's panicky face and tilted his head on the side in wonder. "What's wrong, Tsubasa-nii?"

The brunette sweat-dropped; gaped at the now innocent looking boy. "No... Nothing's wrong, Senri." He focused on something else, trying to keep his mind off track. But the thought always managed to come back: The Shimizu blood sure was scary.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Oh my, oh my!" exclaimed Misa Hamai from the top of the stairs. Three heads perked up, looking at the elder in absolute wonder.

"What is it, Mother?" Len questioned just as confused as the other two. He was sure he wouldn't like what's to come next—_definitely_.

"Len," began Misa, "why are our guests still standing? Where have your manners gone, young man?"

The ocean-haired male blushed slightly which Ren didn't fail to notice. "I'm sorry," Len apologized to his mother, bowing. He stood up straight and was about to usher Kahoko and Ren to sit down once more when Misa cut him off.

"That wouldn't be necessary, Len." Misa smiled gently at her son. She then diverted her attention to their guests and said, "I'm sorry I took so long. Come, let's go to the dining room and have supper."

"Ah! There's no need for that, Misa-san!" Kahoko protested, nearly dropping (and deafening) Ren in her arms. "I mean... You shouldn't—"

Misa cut her off with an amused chuckle. "Don't worry about it, Kahoko-san. I insist; so please stay for dinner." Misa began descending down the stairs, her left hand sliding on the polished wooden railing. She approached the mother and son the moment she was at the bottom of the stairs. Misa smiled, taking Kahoko's arm and leading her to the dining room, silencing her protests.

_And besides, I haven't given her_ that _yet,_she continued in her mind.

The redhead could do nothing but let the elder woman drag her and Ren to their destination. She heaved out a sigh which only her little angel could hear. And Len trailed behind them, still deep in thought.

"Please have a seat." When they got there, Misa pointed to the available seats at the table with her hand.

The walls of the dining hall were painted in cream color, various kinds of paintings could also be found hanging. Crimson curtains with beautiful flower embroidery were hung on the massive windows around the room. Golden chandeliers also hung on the ceiling; its light making the room glimmer.

Ren got off his mother and pulled a chair out for Kahoko to sit on. He smiled a cute, childish smile that almost made both females swoon at the sight.

Kahoko adoringly and appreciatively smiled at her son, sitting on the chair he pulled out and settling herself. She thanked him as Ren sat next to her, straightening his back in order to sit down properly.

"Now wasn't that cute, Len?" Misa eyed the little ruby-haired child with huge interest. _That boy... He resembled Len when he was only a small child,_ she thought, sitting at the opposite side of the table, facing Ren. _Of course, before he suddenly became cold._ Misa inwardly sighed, praying to the heavens that that wouldn't happen.

Len sat beside his baby blue-haired mother. He knew that she wasn't really asking him a question; rather she was only stating them. He mumbled a 'hn' as a mild reply, anyway.

"Well then, shall we?" inquired Misa, gathering a spoon and a fork in hand. "Bon appétit," she said, and Ren looked at her oddly, trying to figure out what she had just said.

Kahoko giggled, "It's an expression. It's like saying 'dig in', Ren."

"Oh." His eyes widened slightly, taking in a fork and a knife at hand. He tried cutting the steak on his plate to no avail.

Kahoko saw his struggle, and shook her head in amusement as she helped him chop it into small pieces.

Len Tsukimori perfectly knows that it was wrong to stare at someone while eating, though he couldn't help it. His mind had a million thoughts running wildly inside that it bothered him nonstop. And it mainly focused on the ruby-haired child and his redheaded mother.

This didn't go unnoticed by Misa Hamai. She watched her son with intrigue as she sipped from her cup. Her gentle eyes shone with a tint of mischief in them as she studied him further.

_His expression,_ Misa thought, putting the cup down quietly on the table. _I wonder what has happened while I was upstairs..._

"Len," began Misa, catching the male's attention.

"Yes, Mother?" he politely asked, getting out of his reverie. He turned his head to look at her, his eyes questioning. Unbeknownst to him, Kahoko and Ren were watching their interaction silently.

"Is something the matter? You seem deep in thought," said Misa, folding her hands on her lap. She stared intently in his golden orbs, making him inwardly twitch.

"It's... nothing, Mother. Please don't concern yourself over me—I'm fine," he assured her, though she was obviously not buying it.

"Maybe Onii-chan's thinking about my request," said Ren suddenly. The three adults turned their heads to his direction in response.

"Ren!" scolded Kahoko, and at the same time, Len said, "N—No. That's not it."

"What request, if I may ask?" Misa cocked her head to the side in confusion. Not to mention, she was also eager to hear what it was.

"Mother, that's—" Len tried to explain but was cut off by the child's interjection, "I said that I want Onii-chan as my temporary daddy!" Ren smiled proudly.

"Oh my!" Misa stared at Ren with wide eyes, surprised to hear that the request actually referred to _that_. As bewildered as she might be, Misa was also pleased. Maybe with this, Len would warm up to others.

"Mother." Len couldn't quite control the venom dripping in his voice as he said those two syllables. He had been interjected far too many now that it was getting on his nerves. Plus, he _couldn't_ even explain it to his mother properly with all of these shenanigans going on.

"I'm okay with your request, Ren-kun," said Misa with a warm and bright smile. Ren smiled back at her.

"WHAT!" Both Kahoko and Len exclaimed simultaneously. They both jumped from their seats, hands hitting the wooden table with a loud 'thud'. Their eyes darted from the elder woman to the small child who were smiling at one another.

"I know Mummy's fine with it," Ren said, his voice had a hint of certainty.

"I see...," mumbled Misa thoughtfully, nodding to herself. She cupped her face with her hand as she did so.

Kahoko wasn't able to disrupt the two as she could not find her voice. She only gawked at them since this was the only thing she could do at the very moment.

"How about you, Len?" asked Misa. Three heads turned and awaited his reply.

It now all depended on him. And Len's decision might change everybody's lives forever.

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**unfortunately, i have to leave it hanging. further explanations about what hino and hamai's relationship are will be said in the next chapter.**

**i have some good news and some bad news. good news is that i updated {and am writing the next chapter when i've free time****—which happens rarely because of the things i'm occupied with, at the moment. revising, to be exact.}.**** and, i've finished on the fan-art of my ocs; i'll just have to scan and upload them in the internet. they'd be found in my d.a. account: meitanteixshoujo . deviantart . com **

**as for the bad news... bad news is that i will be gone for half a month because of the tests i've next week up to the second {or first} week of june. (-.-')  
**

**but please stay tuned! i might update every once in a while, when i can. (-:  
**

**reviews, please?  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**thank you, _Pathetic Rainbow_, for all the corrections you've done. ^ ^**

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"Ah!" exclaimed a woman with golden locks, as she helped the child that tripped to stand up before he would contact with the concrete floor below. "Careful now, honey."

"Um, s-sorry, Mummy," apologized the child with vermillion hair and golden orbs. She blushed, tightening her grip on her mother's hand. The things she did—couldn't she stop embarrassing herself and her mother further by being extremely clumsy? Unfortunately not.

"It's okay, Hikari." Nami Amou-Ousaki smiled, patting her child's head gently with her free hand. Nami didn't mind that Hikari was clumsy; although she deeply worries about her getting into danger. There was a huge possibility that innocent, little Hikari here would be tangled in some sort of accident. Nami shivered at the thought, brushing it off. She certainly wouldn't think of that.

Kneeling down in front of the girl, Nami brushed Hikari's dress clean. Even though she didn't trip, Nami wanted to make sure that she still looked neat. She caressed Hikari's face fondly, smiling at her blushing face, and raising a mocking eyebrow at her partner that says, "Well? Are you just gonna stand there like an idiot or what?"

"No," replied the male as if answering his wife's sarcastic question. He held his arms wide, knelt down on one knee, and waited for the cute angel to approach him. When Hikari hugged him, he stood up, carrying the child and asked if she was alright.

"I'm fine, Daddy," said Hikari with a shy smile. She hid her face by burying it at the crook of his neck, and wrapping her little arms around it.

"I'm glad," said Shinobu Ousaki, running his fingers through her hair as if combing them. He walked beside his wife who rolled her eyes at the display.

Sometimes they both wondered how they got along _too_ well.

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"How did I get myself into this?" Len said his thoughts out loud, immediately regretting when he let his guard down as he was splashed by a huge wave of water. He was now very wet from head to toe.

Len glared at the child in the bathtub, twisting and squeezing the water out of his white, long-sleeved t-shirt. "All right, that's enough." He stood up from his kneeling position beside the tub and got a thick towel from the rack near the sink. He stretched it out as he approached the "little demon" swimming and playing in the water. "You should get out now before you get sick."

"I don't want to," protested Ren with a smug smile on his face. He was having so much fun with his temporary daddy that he wanted to mess around with him more. Ren never knew that having him around would make things...enjoyable—not that he didn't have fun with his mother. It's just that the feeling was totally different. He couldn't quite pinpoint it, but he could say that having Len around made him feel complete. He now had a mummy and a daddy—the family's all here.

"Come now, Ren." Len sighed, attempting to calm himself down before he loses his cool. The child was troublesome, he had to admit. He was totally proven wrong in thinking that this child was obedient and well-behaved, when in reality, he was the exact opposite. Or maybe he was just like that when he's alone with him.

The little child stayed put and did what he was told to do when Kahoko was around. He'd listen attentively to her instructions, often offering her his help in cleaning the house—one thing Len wasn't used to. Ren was the silent yet cheerful type; he sketches—or doodles, in Len's most humble opinion—imaginary characters, saying that they were his guardian angels. Len would raise his eyebrows, nonetheless shrug and say, "They were good," monotonously.

Although Ren would mysteriously vanish into thin air from time to time—every afternoon, to be precise. This, of course, set Len panicking inside, knowing he was in trouble if something bad happened to the child. Kahoko and his mother would murder him without a doubt. But, to his relief, the ruby-haired child would appear like magic an hour and a half later. When he'd asked where he'd been, Ren would flash him an innocent smile and say, "That's a secret!" with a wink and run upstairs to his room. Whatever it was he did, Len didn't have the slightest clue.

With him being occupied with his thoughts, Ren frowned and thought that he'd snap out of it with another splash of water. He grinned like a chesire cat and did what he had planned.

Len, as if he was not wet enough, was once again drenched in water. He raised his hand and wiped his face, growling lowly and mumbling something about "kids being only nothing but trouble." Len shook his head like a dog drying itself and cursed under his breath the moment he realized the towel was wet.

"Stay right where you are." He tried to sound casual, but he couldn't help but let bitterness drip from every syllable. He went out of the huge, tiled bathroom and began his search for a towel or two.

He wouldn't change his clothes, even if it sounded as a good idea, knowing that Ren would make it rain... again.

Len wondered how Kahoko was able to raise a kid like him.

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Len was outnumbered—or so he thought.

Everybody was looking at him expectantly, especially Misa and Ren. Kahoko was staring at him sympathetically, sorry etched her face.

Len gulped, gaze switching from one person to another. He glanced at Kahoko longer than the others, silently asking for help—which was barely recognizable. Kahoko thought he was glaring at her because she was useless and he had to set things right; which was totally false. She sank in her chair further, hiding her embarrassment; the message "I'm terribly sorry for being useless, then!" surrounding her.

When he got no help from the oblivious redhead, Len inwardly sighed and said, "I'm sorry, but no."

"No?" repeated Ren and Misa, eyes widening in shock.

"No?" said Kahoko, sitting up straight in alarm.

"Yes," answered Len.

"Yes?" the three asked in confusion.

"No," said Len firmly. He had a bad feeling about this, as though he was about to crack if they asked a one-word question again.

"No?" He's starting to get really pissed off by now.

"Yes."

"Yes?" That triggered all the cool Len had left in him.

"Yes, I mean "no," so please stop this nonsense," said Len exasperatedly. He glowered lowly, enough to be heard only by himself.

"..." They remained silent like children getting caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar.

Misa asked, "Why?" but Len wasn't sure his reason was strong enough.

He glanced at the boy who had requested for him to be his temporary daddy, and felt a slight guilt when he saw his expression.

Ren looked hurt, extremely hurt, and it was all his fault.

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Returning to the bathroom with a towel in hand, Len knelt down in front of Ren to dry him off. With a couple of protests and destruction inside, they finally had a truce—a temporary truce, in Ren's case.

The war has just began, Ren thought smugly. It'll take a while before there's peace between two sides.

As they enter the child's bedroom, Ren told Len to change his clothes first before putting on his. Len said 'no' sharply, and put a fresh pair of clothes on Ren, who rolled his eyes at the thought.

_It'll take a while_, he repeated to himself. _Daddy's too stubborn._

He'll let Len have his way. For now, at least.

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"Misa-san, what is it that you want to give me?" asked Kahoko, attempting to change the subject.

For the past few minutes, all eyes were glued to Ren and his sulking expression. They thought he was going to burst out crying with the way his eyes were shining like jewels. But he didn't. Ren smiled assuringly and said "It's okay, it's my fault anyway." It averted everybody's attention from him. Although it was hard not to comfort a child who's down, it took quite a while before the adults made a conversation.

"Oh, that." Misa smiled, reaching through her purse. She took out a small, rectangular box wrapped in a red wrapper, and a golden bow tied around it. She handed the box over to Kahoko, which the redhead accepted reluctantly. "I hope you'd like it," said Misa as she watched Kahoko open the present.

Lifting the lid off the box, Kahoko gasped when she saw the content. It was a necklace with a sapphire pendant and a golden chain. The pendant glimmered as the light hit it, but that wasn't the reason why Kahoko gasped. It was when you pointed it towards the light that the jewel changes its colour. It was originally blue but when it had contact with any form of light, it turns purple.

Trying to recover from the enchantment, Kahoko asked, "What...Why?"

"It's a present I've been meaning to give you all these time," said Misa fondly, her gaze softening like she was in bliss. "This is our anniversary; the day I started tutoring you with the piano."

"Piano?" This caught Len's interest. He knew a redhead that could play the piano very well, but the name escaped his mind.

Could it be...?, he looked at Kahoko fully, trying to recognize every feature. Her eyes... hair colour... His thoughts trailed off as Kahoko spoke, "B-but you s-shouldn't have. Really..."

"I insist, Kahoko-san." Misa smiled, waving her hands to tell the redhead to keep it. "I want you to have it."

"B-b-but...!"

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop saying that word," _tsked_ Misa, shaking her head as an amused smile graced her lips.

"Misa-san..."

"Um, Obaa-san?" Ren, who had been silent, spoke up. He drew everybody's attention back to him, causing him to fidget in his seat. He blushed lightly. "Does Onii-chan know Mummy?"

Misa stole a glance at Len's direction and said, "Hmm-hmm. Yes, they both do. Len and Kahoko-san know each other from childhood. I believe they were classmates, also, when they studied Music in High School and in University in Vienna."

Len's eyes widened. _I knew it_, he thought. His eyes never leaving the young pianist in front of him. Now he was sure, definitely sure, that this woman sitting at the opposite side of the table was his—

"But I don't think Tsukimori-kun remembers me," said Kahoko shyly. "I had to go back to Japan because of some... 'circumstances' in the half of the first term in University."

"You mean giving birth to Ren-kun?" asked Misa, leaning on the table with her hands intertwined and chin resting on them. When Kahoko nodded, she continued, "You could've had done it in Vienna, but I assume you have your reasons."

"Yes." Kahoko's voice was getting thiner and smaller with each passing second. _But the main reason was that I didn't want him to know about Ren; about his existence. He would want to have Ren and might take him away from me. I don't think I can—_

"Kahoko-san?" Misa began to worry over Kahoko's silence. The girl's silence always gave her bad feelings; she didn't know what the girl was thinking even after the years they've spent together.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I spaced out a little." Kahoko gave a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of her head. She attempted to calm her racing heart by taking in deep breaths. Finally, when she was done, she said, "But we can't blame Tsukimori-kun for forgetting me. It's been almost six years since the last time I saw him." She turned her gaze to the man in front of her, golden orbs shining breathtakingly under the chandelier's light. "Right, Tsukimori-kun?"

"...Ah," was all he could mutter. There were too many things inside his head at the same time—_so_ many.

"Then, you're already twenty-six years old," said Misa, nodding to herself.

"Twenty-five, to be precise. But yes, I'm turning twenty-six this coming February." Noticing the time on her wristwatch, Kahoko stood up gently from her seat. "Anyway, it's getting rather late, Misa-san. I have to go now. Ren still have classes tomorrow."

"I see," mumbled Misa as she and Ren stood up; Len followed seconds later. "Be careful, okay?" she said before an idea appeared in her mind. "Oh! Can't you just stay here for tonight? Your house is a couple of blocks away, and I'm sure both of you are tired."

"No, it's okay, Misa-san," said Kahoko, shaking her head as she declined the offer. "We'll be home in no time."

Misa seemed to hesitate, but one look on the redhead's face told her not to worry. _Still..._

"Thank you very much for the necklace, Misa-san. I love it." She smiled. "We'll see you around. Good bye and good night, Misa-san, Tsukimori-kun." She turned to leave, Ren immediately beside her, holding each other's hands.

As they started walking, they were stopped midway to the front door. Tsukimori Len stood a few steps behind them.

Kahoko glanced over her shoulder and so did her son. They waited until finally, Len spoke: "I'll walk you home; it's much safer this way." He paused, pursing his lips. He let out a sigh, looking straight in Kahoko's eyes, then to Ren. "About your request..." he hesitated, biting his lower lip. Len eventually found some courage inside him, and continued, "I'll... I accept."

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**i hope this makes up for my extremely late update. i'm truly sorry about that. we all know how school occupies our time, don't we? :-)**

**i may update this story _really _slowly; depending whether my hands are full or not. **

**also, you might've noticed that the other kids weren't in this chapter. well, i couldn't find a place to _squeeze _them all in 'cause, hey, we need len, kahoko, misa and ren to tell the story, don't we? :-)**

**i hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, and please do review!  
**


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